Safety device for doors



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,394

A. W. PARSONS SAFETY DEVICE FOR DOORS Filed March 12, 192? A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dee. 11, 1928..

ARTHUR If, PARSONS, 6F MIAMI, FLORIDA,"

SAFETY DEVICE FOR DOORS.

Application filed March 12, 1927. Serial No. 174,728.

This invention relates to safety devices for doors and is herein illustrated and described in connection with car doors of the folding type.

It has been determined that car doors of certain types, such as the sectional and inwardly folding types, are responsible for an appreciable number of injuries sustained by patrons in boarding the car and disembarking therefrom, due to the fact that the doors in closing suddenly and with considerable force often catch the hand or arm of the patron therebetween.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive means by which the above objections may be obviated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair of sectional and inwardly, folding doors, with which a device embodying this invention is adapted for use. Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sec tional View taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, a pair of cooperating movable doors 5 are shown provided with a plurality of hinges 6, by means of which such doors may be connected to a suitable support, such for example as an appropriate portion of a street car. These doors are of the inwardly folding type, that is to say, they are adapted to fold into a car, rather than outwardly therefrom. Each door 5 is composed of a pair of sections 7, connected together by means of hinges 8 so as to permit the doors to move inwardly,

as shown in Figure 2, whereby the connected I sections thereof are brought into a substantial parallel relation when the doors are fully opened.

In order to obviate such accidents as those above mentioned, the meeting edges of the intermediate section 7, shown particularly in Figure 3, are cut away or recessed so as to provide an elongated opening 9 intermediate the top and bottom edge portions of the doors 5, which come into approximate con tact with one another when they are in closed positions. By providing this opening 9, the intermediate edge portions of the doors are sufiicienty spaced apart to receive th'erebetween the persons hand or arm when the doors are closed, the opening 9 being so located with respect to the meeting edges of the doors 5 as to take in or include all of the hazardous positions which a persons hand or arm would most likely occupy in boarding a street car, for example, or 'disembarking therefrom.

In order to provide an effective closureif caught between its outer or free edgeand the edge of one of the doors 5, when such doors are being closed. The flap 10 may be secured in position by means of a plurality of fastening devices, such as screws 11, which are passed through one edge of the flap 10 and a binding 12 of suitable material, ylvhich is applied to the anchored edge of the ap. The invention herein shown may be applied to doors, and particularly car doors of the type herein shown, at a very small expense, regardless of whether the installation is made upon old or new cars; and once such installation is made, the hazards accompanying the closing of doors, as above mentioned, is greatly reduced, as will be readily appreciated.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed isz' 1. In combination, a pair of movable doors cooperating at their edges, which when in their closed positions come into approximate contact with one another only at their top and bottom edge portions and at their intermediate edge portions are so widely out of contact Wlth one another as to leave an opening between said intermediate edge portions,

their closed positions 001116 into approximate contact with one another only at their top and bottom edge portions and at their intermediate edge portions are so widely out of 5 contact with one another as to leave an opening between said intermediate edge pore tions, and flexible means supported by one of said doors covering the opening between the intermediate edge portions of said doors when they are in their closed positions. 10

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

ARTHUR W. PARSONS. 

